Redemption
by Krystiana
Summary: A -i'm losing my mind- story. Vegiita starts hearing voices...
1.

Redemption  
by Kristina Evelina Brannan  
kbrannan@raex.com  
krystiana@geocities.com  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Dragon Ball and all related characters are owned by a whole bunch of people who aren't me.   
Don't sue, as I am not making any money off of this.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
  
Nothing strange was going when the voices started.   
Nobody was attacking anybody, nobody was pregnant, nobody was having serious   
problems with his or her lives... as least that he knew of.  
In fact, everything was just as about normal as it could possibly be.   
The voices started just by tauntingly calling his name. He ignored them at first, thinking   
he had imagined them. It could have been the wind rustling the leaves. It could have been   
some kids playing nearby, their voices carrying over in terribly distorted ways. After all, the   
voices were only sounding as whispers.   
But they got louder. He couldn't ignore them anymore as they began shouting his   
name, almost frantically. Over and over, louder and louder... they were in his mind... they   
weren't real. He was NOT going insane.   
But they were there... shouting, yelling, screaming his name...  
"Vegiita!!!"   
He turned his head towards his wife, the voices suddenly disappearing. He gasped   
silently, his eyes widening.   
"Vegiita?" Bulma asked again, with a more uncertain voice. "What's wrong?"  
Vegiita's pride conquered him again, and his eyes narrowed, his mouth quickly turning   
downward into a frown. "Nothing's wrong!" he snarled. "Now quit bothering me!"   
"But Vegiita-" Bulma broke off, not finishing her sentence.  
"What do you want, woman?" Vegiita spat out, turning his back towards her. He took   
his usual pose that told everything around him to stay away - arms crossed, head down, eyes   
closed, feet spread slightly apart.   
"I was just.. worried about you."  
Vegiita opened one eye, though he didn't turn back towards his wife. "Why?"  
"I was looking out the window, and the expression on your face-"  
"Nothing is wrong, woman," Vegiita growled, closing his eyes again. "Now leave."  
Bulma shot one more look at him before going inside.   
As she as she left, the voices started again, at a whisper again.   
"Trouble..." they whispered. "Vegiita... trouble." They whispered this over and over   
again... but Vegiita just stood there, keeping his expression straight. The voices faded again.  
~I must be going funny in the head,~ he thought. But just as he was about to resume   
his training, one, single, female, voice, shouted at him.  
"VEGIITA!! Please, my little prince... DON'T FORGET ME!!"  
Vegiita's eyes snapped open. "Nani?!" he said out loud.   
The voice... that one voice... it sounded so familiar. But as he thought of all the females   
he knew and had ever met, none of them matched it.   
Then who was it?  
~"Don't forget me?"~ Vegiita thought. ~Who are you?~  
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita finally returned to inside his house, only to find Bulma gone. He remembered   
she was supposed to go over to the Son household to discuss something with Chi-Chi. Trunks   
was out at a movie with Goten, and Bra was somewhere with Pan and her father, Gohan.   
He needed to rest. It was a strange thing for him to do, but he felt wiped out - not   
physically, but mentally... a very odd feeling to him. He rarely ever felt like that. In fact...  
He had NEVER felt like that.   
He got to the living room, closed the blinds, and sat on the couch. As he rubbed his   
eyes with one hand, he found that even the tiny stream of light pouring in through the closed   
blinds was bothering him. Lying down to try and get out of the glare, he put his arm over his   
eyes, and almost immediately fell asleep.   
And that was how Bulma found him when she got home nearly five hours later.  
  
* * *  
  
She walked in the front door, expecting to see anything but her husband, much less   
lying on the couch.   
"Vegiita?" she called to him. She closed the door and crossed the room. She saw he   
was asleep, and this worried her. He had NEVER slept during the day. He rarely even slept at   
night.   
She put her hand to his forehead, and found it was hot. She didn't know what a normal   
temperature for a Saiyajin was, but chances were it wasn't burning to the touch, like he was.   
Bulma stifled an uncalled for laugh as she got the sudden picture of Vegiita with the flu   
- an ice pack on his head, his feet stuck in a bucket of warm water, wrapped up in a quilt.   
Bulma grinned and put the vision away.  
She shook his arm, attempting to wake him up without making him angry. "Vegiita?" He   
didn't even stir. She shook his arm again, a little harder. "Vegiita!" He still didn't move. He was   
barely breathing.   
Bulma quickly began thinking. ~Should I call a doctor?~ After looking at her husband's   
face, she decided against it. If he turned out to be all right, he would be furious with her. But if   
he wasn't fine...  
She turned towards the phone. Chi-Chi might not know what to do, but she would offer   
some comfort. Just as Bulma touched the phone, a sound erupted from her husband.   
Bulma turned back towards Vegiita just in time to see him snap his eyes open. He sat   
up and looked at Bulma. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought you were at   
Kakarotto's house."  
"I was," Bulma said. "I was there for five hours, Vegiita."  
Vegiita stared at her. "I couldn't of been training for that long... it was maybe fifteen   
minutes after you left that I came inside."  
"You were asleep when I got back. I couldn't wake you up, and you were burning up... I   
think." Bulma looked at Vegiita's face, which looked unusually pale. "Are you... all right?"  
Vegiita snarled and stood up. "I'm fine, woman. Don't be concerned."  
"But-"  
"I _said_ I was fine!" Vegiita shouted. He stormed towards the kitchen, muttering   
something under his breath.  
Bulma watched his retreating back carefully. When he crossed the doorway and was   
out of site, she walked over to the couch he had been lying on and sat down. ~Something is   
wrong with him...~ she thought. ~He's his usual touchy self... but something is off.~  
The rest of the week went by, and Vegiita's strange behavior increased. Four more   
times Bulma found him sleeping, each time becoming harder and harder to wake him up.   
Vegiita had out of the ordinary mood swings - for him, at least. Sometimes he would be still   
and silent - brooding, really, others he would be his usual "cheery" self. When he was silent, it   
was for hours on end. He gave no sign of moving an inch, and then he would abruptly get up   
and stalk out of the room. When Bulma would say anything about it, he would either ignore her   
completely or tell her nothing was wrong. Trunks began noticing his father's behavior, but said   
nothing of it. But when little Bra spoke to her mother about it, Bulma decided it had gone too   
far.   
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita woke up one day to Bulma shaking his shoulder. He opened one eye to see   
Bulma with a strange expression on her face... concern? And... someone else that looked   
familiar...  
Vegiita sat up with a snarl. "I told you no doctors, woman. Nothing is wrong with me."  
"For once, put your pride behind you," Bulma said. "I won't tell anyone you're getting a   
check up." She expected Vegiita to still give protest, but he instead looked over Bulma's   
shoulder at the head Capsule Corp medtech.   
"And what about _her?"_ he asked venomously.   
Bulma almost laughed. "Taya-chan won't tell anyone," she said. "We grew up together.   
We may have fought a lot, but we always kept each other's secrets."  
Vegiita gave something of a grunt. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.  
Bulma snarled almost as savagely as he usually did, making his eyebrows rise slightly.   
"Whether you like it or not, I'm worried about you, veggie-brain."  
Vegiita's eyebrows raised even more. "May I ask what for?"  
"I-" Bulma paused, catching her breath. "I'm scared I might come home one day and I   
won't be able to wake you up." Vegiita only blinked at this, his expression not changing.  
Vegiita crossed his arms as he sat up, thinking.   
Tayasi bent down beside Bulma and whispered in her ear. Vegiita heard what she said,   
and couldn't help but smirk.   
Bulma looked at her husband. "You won't shoot her or anything if she examines you, will   
you?"  
"I'm not guaranteeing anything."  
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita passed the exam with flying colors.  
"He's quite possibly one of the finest pictures of health I've ever seen," Tayasi told   
Bulma.   
Vegiita shot a look at Bulma that quite obviously said "told ya so."  
Bulma sighed and thanked Tayasi, and then showed her to the door. After the door   
shut, Bulma looked back at Vegiita.  
"What's wrong with you, then?" Bulma said, more to herself then her husband.   
"I told you - nothing."  
"I don't believe that." She walked up to Vegiita and sat down next to him. "You don't   
have any reason to lie to me, do you?" Vegiita's lip curled in annoyance, but Bulma continued   
before he could say anything. "Is something bothering you?"  
"Nothing is wrong with me, woman!" Vegiita said, standing up and turning to leave.   
Bulma caught his hand as he turned away. "Please, Vegiita," she said. "Why won't you   
tell me?"  
"Because I have nothing to tell."  
"You're not telling me the truth, Vegiita," Bulma said, shaking her head. "Why can't you   
trust me?"  
Vegiita looked at her and frowned. "I... trust you," he said quietly.   
"Then tell me what's wrong!"  
Vegiita was silent for a long time before he sat down. "I keep having a dream," he said,   
not meeting her eyes. "That's why I sleep so much - so I CAN dream."  
"What is the dream about?" Bulma asked.   
"Vegiitasei."  
Bulma gasped. "Do you think it means anything?"  
"I think something is still out there." Vegiita looked straight at her now. "Something   
wants me to go back."  
"But there's nothing there, Vegiita!" Bulma said. "There might be... dust... but there's   
nothing there!"  
Vegiita's eyes flickered.   
Bulma realized her words and gasped. "Oh, Vegiita... I'm sorry."  
Vegiita blinked. Bulma rarely apologized for anything or to anyone. He wasn't disturbed   
that she had spoken of his home planet with such disrespect... he had just sensed a familiar ki.   
The front door slammed, startling Bulma. Bra came screeching in the room and   
attached herself to her father's leg. Trunks walked in calmly behind her.  
Vegiita looked at his son with a familiar expression. Trunks rolled his eyes and nodded   
at the unspoken question. He crossed the room and exited. Vegiita followed him, glancing back   
at Bulma. "We'll continue this discussion later."  
"Papa!" Vegiita looked down and realized Bra was still latched onto his leg. "Can I watch   
you an' niichan train?"  
Vegiita managed to hold back a smirk. Bulma didn't want her daughter to fight, but she   
had promised that if Bra ever showed an interest, she wouldn't interfere.   
"Hai," Vegiita said. Bra let out a cry of joy and ran outside.   
Bulma frowned. "Don't get too close to her."  
Vegiita did smirk this time, and he nodded, walking outside.  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks ducked away from a half-hearted kick from his father. Bra was sitting the   
ground, looking up at them with interest.   
As Vegiita threw two more punches that Trunks easily blocked, Trunks backed away   
and looked closely at his father's face. It had the usual sense of determination, but underneath   
it all, his father looked tired, worn-out...  
"Tousan?"  
"Why have you stopped fighting, boy?" It was Vegiita's usual response when Trunks did   
something like this, but this time he sounded like he didn't know what he was saying - just   
speaking out of habit.   
"What's wrong with you?"  
Vegiita's expression turned slightly nasty. "As I've been saying, I am fine."  
"No, you're not. It's obvious."  
Vegiita's eyes narrowed at his son. "You do not know me as well as you would think."  
"Papa..."  
"I will here no more of this."  
"Damn it, tousan, listen to me!" Trunks snarled, finding his upper lip curling. He knew he   
must of looked like a twin to his father at that moment, but he didn't care.   
Vegiita tensed and glared at his son. He crossed his arms, tilted his head back and   
looked his son in the eye - a sign that he was, indeed, listening.   
"Just because you're too proud to admit something is wrong doesn't mean we can't   
see it," Trunks said softly. "Believe it or not, your _family_ is worried."  
Vegiita didn't move, but his eyes became thoughtful. "I -" He stopped, his eyes widening.   
He suddenly moaned, and put his head in his hands.   
"Otousan?" Trunks questioned. He had NEVER seen his father in that position. He   
never let himself show any form of weakness. "Papa?"  
Vegiita was slowly lowering to the ground, his head still in his hands. He landed and   
sunk to his knees. Trunks flew down beside him. "Papa..." He touched his father's shoulder.  
THAT got a response. Vegiita suddenly snapped his head up and, with a wild look in his   
eyes, knocked Trunks away. He then powered up to Super Saiyajin and shot straight up into   
the air.   
  
* * *  
  
Gokou looked up, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. "What-"  
Uub peered at his teacher. "Sensei?" he asked. "What is it?"  
"I need to return home. Something's wrong."  
Uub nodded. "I understand."  
Gokou nodded back a goodbye and raised his hand, then paused. Gohan would be busy   
with Videl and Pan, and he didn't want to intrude Bulma's family with Vegiita's less than warm   
idea of welcome, and Chi Chi wouldn't let him leave if he showed up on the doorstep...  
Goten.  
In a flash, Gokou was gone.  
  
* * *  
  
Gokou appeared in front of his younger son and blinked at the resemblence he saw.  
Goten stared for a moment before yelling something unintelligible and stumbling   
backwards into a tree.  
"Ah... gomen," Gokou said sheepishly. He offered his son a hand.  
Goten stared at him some more. "Otousan... you're here."  
"Yes... but only to check on something."  
Goten's face fell. "Oh."  
"Did you sense a burst in a power a few minutes ago?" Gokou questioned, missing   
Goten's expression.  
"Yeah, but it's probably just Vegiita-san-"  
"Something is wrong."  
Goten blinked. "Papa, what-"  
"Come on!" Gokou leapt into the air and fired towards Capsule Corp, Goten following   
confusedly.  
When they arrived, the two found Trunks sitting up on the ground and looking dazed,   
Bra standing next to her brother and staring straight up... and no Vegiita in sight.  
"Trunks-kun?" Goten questioned, landing next to his friend. "You okay?"  
Trunks blinked, shook his head, and looked up as well. "Otousan..." He flew up into the   
air, ignoring Goten.  
Gokou looked up in the direction the lavender-haired Saiyajin flew, a sign of   
concentration overtaking his face. "Vegiita?" With that, he shot up after Trunks.  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks found his father still flying upwards, but not very fast. "Otousan!" he shouted,   
only to be ignored.  
"Vegiita!" came another voice from just below. Trunks looked down to see...  
"GOKOU-SAN?!?!?!"  
Gokou flew up beside Trunks. "What's going on?"  
"I don't know... if he goes any higher, he'll be out of the atmosphere!" Trunks doubled   
his speed, as did Gokou.  
Trunks flew in front of his father, desperately trying to stop him. Vegiita did stop, and   
then he looked below at Gokou.  
Gokou eyed Vegiita in the face, watching as the Saiyajin Prince's eyes darted up again,   
and then he flew up around and past Trunks.  
Without thinking, Gokou and Trunks flew after him, each grabbing one of his arms and   
trying to drag him back to the ground.   
"KHEV T'LIK!!" Vegiita shouted, struggling against their grip.  
Trunks blinked. "What?"  
Vegiita began hissing and sputtering words that made no sense to ears of Trunks or   
Gokou, still fighting them. As they found themselves losing grip of him, they both powered up to   
Super Saiyajin.  
  
* * *  
  
Gohan tensed up, sensing something he hadn't in a very long time. He looked in the   
direction of Capsule Corp, squinting as though he could see what was going on.  
"Otousan?"  
  
* * *  
  
Yamucha lurched up from the table he was sitting at, gasping. That rise in power... it   
couldn't be...  
"Gokou?"  
  
* * *  
  
Kulilin looked up from the magazine he was looking at. ~What was that?~ he wondered.   
There was something in the air that didn't seem quite right.   
"Gokou?"  
  
* * *  
  
Piccolo's eyes snapped open from his meditation. What could have possibly disturbed   
him? There was something of a tremor... and a presence nearby that was oddly familiar.  
"Gokou."  
  
* * *  
  
Four souls began quickly flying towards Capsule Corp.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita, determined to escape from Trunks and Gokou, continued shouting in a   
language foreign to his captors' ears.   
Out of the corner of Gokou's eyes, he saw four familiar faces.  
"Otousan!!" Trunks yelled above Vegiita's ranting. "Please!"  
Vegiita snarled, and suddenly twisted around, surprising both of them and managing to   
get out of their grasp. He panted, and looked from one to the other repeatedly before his eyes   
finally came to rest of Gokou.   
A strange expression came over Vegiita face then, one that only Gokou could see.   
"K... Kakarotto?" Vegiita whispered.  
And he fainted.  
His eyes rolled back in his head, the golden glow of the Super Saiyajin faded, and he   
simply fell out of the air. He landed on the ground below him with a thump, and he didn't move.   
Trunks and Gokou were too shocked to even try and catch him.  
"Tousan!" came a small voice. Bra began cautiously walking up to her father.  
"VEGIITA!!"  
All eyes turned to the open back door and the figure standing in it. Bulma let out a   
sound and began sprinting towards her husband's prone form. "Damn you, Vegiita... you   
couldn't admit something was wrong with you, could you!?!? You and your damn pride!!"  
Gokou and Trunks landed, followed by the new arrivals.  
"What happened?" Yamucha asked.   
"Did he crack?" Kulilin questioned in a small voice.   
Gohan looked at his father. "Otousan..."  
Gokou paid no attention to the others - he was staring at Vegiita. "I've never seen..." He   
paused and shook his head. "Never seen Vegiita look... SCARED."   
Piccolo glanced at Gokou and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything,   
Bulma spoke up with a pleading voice.  
"He's barely breathing... can you help me take him to the med room?" She looked at the   
people surrounding her.   
Everyone quickly ushered him inside.   
  
* * *  
  
*Vegiita, please, just LOOK at me.*  
I can't see anything... how am I supposed to look at you?  
*You will see.*  
Who are you? Tell me!  
*My dear prince... how much you've changed.*  
Answer me!  
*Vegiita...*  
  
* * *  
  
As everyone crowded in the small room outside the med room, Yamucha turned to   
Gokou.  
"I know this isn't exactly the time to be discussing this, Gokou," Yamucha said. "But   
what-"  
"Am I doing here?" Gokou finished, smiling slightly.  
"Well, yeah. Are you done training Uub?"  
"No."  
"Then what?"  
Gokou found himself glancing at Goten, who had an unreadable expression on his face.   
"Just visiting."  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma sat curled up in a chair next to the bed Vegiita was lying on, watching his face.   
When his eyes suddenly opened, she nearly tumbled off of it in surprise.   
"Vegiita?" she whispered.  
He sat up and turned his head towards. "Why am I in here?"  
Bulma squinted at her husband. "What do you remember?"  
"Trunks and I were training in the backyard." With a bit of a smirk, he added, "Did he   
get a punch in to my head?"  
"You don't remember anything, do you?"  
"What am I not remembering?"  
*Me, Vegiita.*  
Vegiita squinted. What was that?   
Must have been his imagination...  
*You're forgetting me.*  
"Nani?" he whispered.   
*Vegiita.*  
"Who..."  
"Vegiita?" The Saiyajin snapped his head towards Bulma. "Who are you talking to?"  
Vegiita blinked. "I don't know."  
*Come back to me.*  
"Where are you?" he said in a louder voice.   
*Your home.*  
~Home?~ he thought to himself. Then his eyes widened.   
"Vegiitasei is gone..."  
*Come back.*  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma watched as her husband abruptly stood up and began marching towards the   
door. "Vegiita!" she chased after him and grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"  
Vegiita continued walking, half-dragging her with him, ignoring her. He walked through   
the doors and ran straight into Gokou. Blinking, he stopped.  
"Kakarotto."  
Gokou looked at Vegiita and didn't say anything, seeming to be searching for words.  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Uh..."  
"Visiting," Gohan quickly filled in.  
Vegiita narrowed his eyes. "Oh." Then he continued walking.  
"Tousan!"  
Vegiita gave a slight growl and turned towards his son. "What?"  
"Are you all right?"  
"I'M FINE!!" Vegiita shouted. He turned on his heel and began stalking out, muttering   
something inaudible to the others.  
"Vegiita!" Bulma ran forward, grabbing his arm again. He looked at her with steely eyes.   
"Do you have any idea what just happened?"  
Vegiita looked over her head at the others standing behind her, looking at him with   
barely hidden shock.  
"No... what _did_ happen?"  
"You don't remember... ?" Trunks said, almost sputtering.  
"Remember what?" Vegiita growled.  
"You tried to fly off of Chikyuu," Gokou offered.  
Vegiita stared at him, hiking an eyebrow. "I what?"  
"You kept flying upwards and wouldn't stop." Gokou paused. "And what does 'khev t'lik'   
mean?"  
Vegiita blinked. "That's Saiyago," he said in a flat voice. "The language of the Saiyajin."  
"You said it. What does it mean?"  
Vegiita's eyes narrowed. "It means home."  
*Vegiita!*  
Vegiita flinched. That damned voice kept getting louder.  
*VEGIITA!*  
Vegiita suddenly began feeling dizzy. That voice was pounding into his brain...  
Bulma noticed Vegiita's state. "Vegiita... you're not well."  
"I'm fine, woman," Vegiita said, his voice barely above a whisper.  
*VEGIITA! COME!*  
"Damn it, who are you!" Vegiita shouted at the voice. The others stared at him. None of   
them had ever seen Vegiita in something even remotely CLOSE to the state of mind he was in   
now.  
*Come back home.*  
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Vegiita demanded.  
*Come home.*  
"What... home?"  
*Your home. Your birthplace.*  
"Vegiitasei?"  
*Yes.*  
"Vegiitasei is gone."  
*Come.*  
Vegiita looked around at the others staring at him. "I... I need to leave." With that, he   
turned and ran out of the building, surprising them all enough not to chase after him.  
  
* * *  
  
"He's lost his mind," Kulilin said. "It finally happened." Yamucha silently agreed.  
Piccolo remained silent, brooding to himself.  
Gokou was trying to pick up Vegiita's ki, rather unsuccessfully. Vegiita wasn't in a   
normal state of mind, which made him harder to track.  
Bulma sat, thinking about what Vegiita exactly had meant besides "I need to leave."   
What had he been talking about to that voice of his?  
"Vegiitasei is gone..." Bulma whispered, repeating the words she had heard Vegiita say.  
Gohan looked at her. "What was that, Bulma?"  
"Vegiitasei," Bulma said in a louder voice. "He wants to go back."  
"But he knows Vegiitasei is gone," Yamucha said. "Better then anyone."  
"He was having dreams about Vegiitasei," Bulma said. "He told me. And you heard him   
talking about Vegiitasei."  
"Hai," Gohan agreed. "And it would also explain why he tried to fly off the planet."  
"How would he get to Vegiitasei?" Piccolo said, finally speaking up. "He's thinking more   
rationally now, so he's obviously not going to try to fly out into space on his own power again."  
Bulma scratched her head. "All the ships on this planet capable of flying that far aren't   
working... and he knows he's not smart enough to fix one of them himself."  
Almost everyone suddenly sat up straighter. "Speak of the devil," Yamucha muttered.  
Vegiita came back in, looking almost normal - a look of eternal pride on his face, back   
straight, a frown that looked like it never turned up... he looked like himself again.  
He faced the group in silence, as they faced him.  
"Um... well... what do you say in this situation?" Gokou said sheepishly.  
Vegiita tilted his head back. "I'm going to say something that I will never say again, so   
listen good."   
Everyone seemed to perk up at that.  
Vegiita closed his eyes and bowed his head down. "I... need your help."  
Bulma stared at her husband. ~Did Vegiita really just ask for help?~  
Vegiita glared at her, as if reading her mind.  
"How do you need our help?" Bulma asked.  
"I need to leave."  
"You said that before," Bulma said, knowing what was coming next.  
"I need to leave Chikyuu."  
"To go to Vegiitasei."  
"Which is nonexistent," Piccolo put in. Vegiita shot a murderous look at the   
Namekseijin.   
"Vegiita..." Gohan finally spoke up. "We'll help you... but what exactly do you want us to   
do?"  
"Figure out a way to get me to where Vegiitasei once was."  
Everyone drew a blank.  
"Why don't we just use the Dragon Balls?"  
All eyes in the room turned to Goten. Trunks grinned. "Although you don't show it most   
of the time," he began, "You're pretty smart."  
"Uh, thanks," Goten said, scratching the back of his head. "I think."  
Bulma was already tearing through her lab. "Where the hell did I put it?" she was   
shouting... her way of talking to herself.  
Gokou smiled and looked around the room. "With this many of us, it shouldn't take too   
long to find them all."  
A shout of joy erupted from Bulma's lab. "Found it!" She ran back in, turning the Dragon   
Radar on. "Hey, there's one only about 200 km south of here!" she exclaimed.   
Vegiita suddenly grunted, attracting some obviously wanted attention. "What exactly   
would we be wishing for?"  
Gokou opened his mouth and shut it again. "I didn't think that far ahead," he admitted   
sheepishly.  
Vegiita glared, then lowered his gaze, muttering something inaudible.  
"A ship, of course," Bulma said. "Something to take us out there and back.  
Trunks blinked. "You're not even going to try to build one, kaasan?"  
Bulma smiled at her son. "I could try, but it would probably take months, even if my dad   
helped."  
"I want to leave as soon as possible," Vegiita spoke up.  
"You do realise," Yamucha, finally saying something after several minutes, "That we're   
all coming with you?"  
Vegiita automatically shot him a nasty look. "Why-" he began in a hiss.  
"You're not exactly in the best of mental states right now," Kulilin said. "We don't want   
you to accidentally blow yourself up."  
"And life has been getting rather boring," Piccolo said, flashing something resembling a   
smile.  
Vegiita opened his mouth, but shut it again after receiving a glare from Bulma. "Fine."   
He turned his back on the group and stood in his seemingly natural pose (arms crossed, legs   
shoulder-width apart, head tilted slightly down, eyes closed).  
Trunks smirked, despite himself.  
  
* * *  
  
The seven Dragon Balls before them flashed. The sky turned black. Lightning seemed   
to crackle. A great roar raced to everyone's ears.   
"I'll never get tired of this," Bulma said, smiling.   
Shenlon was, as usual, huge.   
"What is your wish?"  
There was a silence as Gohan stepped forward. "We need a fast ship capable of long   
range space travel."  
"That's big enough to fit all of us - with lots of elbow room," Yamucha put in.  
"And a bathroom," Bulma muttered, half-jokingly, half-serious.  
There were a few more moments of silence as Shenlon waited to make sure that was   
all the requirements. His eyes flashed. "It is done."  
A ship literally dropped out of the sky and landed on the ground.   
"Your wish has been granted. Farewell." The dragon reverted into lightning that spun   
up, and split seven different ways.  
One more period of silence.   
"Well," Gohan said, taking a step towards the ship.  
Vegiita looked at the group of people staring at the ship, and snuck away seemingly   
unnoticed.   
  
* * *  
  
*Vegiita.*  
"Why are you doing this?"  
*I need you back. You need to know.*  
"Know what? Why can't you tell me who you are?"  
*That's what you need to know.*  
"And why can't you just TELL me, instead of having me go all the way out to NOTHING in   
space?"  
*Because then you will believe me. If I simply tell you now, you would not believe.*  
Vegiita's eyes narrowed. "What could possibly be so important?"  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks shook his head. "Tousan," he muttered. "What the hell is wrong with you?"  
He had known his father all his life. Here and there, he had picked up stories of his   
father being a murderous villain - the prince of a race of killers. Trunks could see his father   
killing in his mind's eye, more clearly then he would have wished. His first memories of his   
father were a cold, cruel man. Now he was still cold, not quite as cruel - but still cruel... and a   
little caring, even. And always, ALWAYS his father had always seemed like a level-headed man.   
He had never pictured his father in the state of mind he was in now.  
Vegiita was talking to the air.  
No, Vegiita was fighting the air, albeight verbally. Trunks sighed and turned away.   
If a simple nonexistent voice could command Vegiita...  
What force were they up against?  
  
* * *  
  
"Are we all ready?"  
Kulilin scratched his head and looked at Juuhachigou. She had been filled in on what   
was going on, and the Jinzounigen kept sneaking glances at Vegiita, who had decided to   
ignore her and everyone else.  
Until Bulma mentioned something that made Vegiita intervene.  
"Bra is not coming." Vegiita's voice was unusually quiet, yet extremely stern.  
"Vegiita, who is she going to stay with?" Bulma said. "Everyone we know is coming -   
even Pan is coming. This can't be that dangerous - Vegiitasei is GONE, for Kami's sake! What   
the hell could happen?"  
Vegiita opened his mouth and closed it again. "Bra is not coming," he repeated after a   
moment of silence.  
"Why?"  
Vegiita glanced around at the group, who were trying to look like they weren't listening   
and being rather unsuccessful. He snarled silently and dragged Bulma away and out of   
hearing distance.  
"Vegiita, what-" Bulma started, cut off by Vegiita's look.  
"Bra is not coming. And I don't want you coming either."  
"Vegiita-"  
"But I'm smart enough to know I can't control you or your actions, as much as I'd like to   
sometimes."  
Bulma stopped and stared at her husband. Vegiita never spoke to her like this in the   
open, although they were out earshot. He just didn't talk like this.  
"I've lost control one time. Who's to say I won't do it again?" Vegiita said harshly. "I don't   
want to hurt you or my daughter."  
Bulma smiled. "Vegiita, if you even begin to look a TAD bit insane, every single fighter   
will be on their guard. Face it - even you can't fight four Saiyajin and one Namekseijin." Vegiita   
opened his mouth again, but Bulma quickly shushed him. "We're going out there to find out   
what's wrong with you - and Bra is worried about you, too. And nothing will stop her from   
coming - she's just as clever as me."  
Vegiita raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "And you say I'm egotistical."  
Bulma grinned. "Let's get back. They're almost done loading the ship." She turned and   
headed towards the shining spacecraft.  
Vegiita sighed. ~Hard to believe that these idiots are piling onto a ship and flying out to   
nothing in space for the sake of my sanity.~ He shook his head and started headed towards   
the ship. ~I never would have thought it possible.~  
  
* * *  
  
Everyone was seated, Bulma in the driver's seat.   
"So how long will this thing take to get us to the non-existent Vegiitasei?"  
Bulma glanced back at the Namekseijin nervously. "Just under a day's time."  
Kulilin grinned. "Really? Great! Better then that ship that took us to Nameksei, eh?"  
"I guess." Bulma was charging up the ship. "Everybody hold on tight."  
The ship started off, and was out of the solar system in seconds.  
  
* * *  
  
"Only a few more minutes," Bulma said, watching Vegiita pace back and forth.   
Gokou was being unusually quiet, even after all the pleasant "welcome backs" he had   
gotten from everyone. Bulma glanced at him, and then turned back to Vegiita.  
"Can you tell the voice we're almost there or something?" she said impatiently. "Maybe   
it can tell us what to do once we get there."  
Vegiita stopped pacing and glared at her. "We're almost there," he said out loud.  
*I know.*  
"Did it say anything?" Bulma asked.  
"She said she knows," Vegiita said in an annoyed tone.  
Bulma made a noise. "You never said it was a girl!"  
Vegiita snarled. "I didn't think it was important."  
"Well, ask HER-" Bulma started.  
*I can hear her, Vegiita.*  
"-if she knows what to do-"  
*Tell her-*  
"-once we arrive."  
*-to wait.*  
Vegiita growled loudly. "You're both talking at once!" he shouted, attracting the   
attention of everyone in the ship. He turned to Bulma. "She said that we wait once we get   
there."  
"NANI?!" Bulma exclaimed. "We travel all this way to w-" she was cut off by the buzzer   
sounding, marking their arrival at their destination. "This is it." Everyone paused, glancing   
around the ship in silence.  
Gokou finally spoke up. "Why is it so cold all of a sudden?"  
Yamucha stared at Gokou. "I think it's warm as toast in here..."  
"Kakarotto's right. It's colder," Vegiita said. "Significantly." He walked over to the window   
and looked out.  
Bulma was silent for a moment. "What do you see?"  
Vegiita turned away. "Nothing." He closed his eyes. "It's where Vegiitasei once was -   
that's for sure. Two suns and one moon." He opened his eyes and looked straight at Bulma.   
"But no Vegiitasei." Gokou walked over to the window and looked out.  
"What did you expect?" Juuhachigou said. "You know Vegiitasei was destroyed years   
ago... why WOULD it be here?"  
"I don't know!" Vegiita snapped. "Why am I hearing a voice in my head? I can't answer   
that question, either!"  
"Guys..." Everyone turned towards Gokou. "Look."  
Vegiita pushed through the crowd that had now gathered around the small window. He   
stared out in part shock, part horror.  
"Tousan?" Trunks questioned. "What is it?"  
Vegiita backed away from the window, shaking his head in denial. He whispered one   
word that sent a chill down everyone's spine.  
"Vegiitasei..."  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED....  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Redemption, Part II - COMING SOON  
  
The voice Vegiita keeps hearing is finally revealed to be a part of his own past that he   
chose to forget. And there's also a surprise for Gokou in store... 


	2. 

Redemption  
Part II  
----------------------  
by Kristina Evelina Brannan  
aka Krystiana Slinky  
kbrannan@raex.com  
krystiana@geocities.com  
---------------------------------  
  
Dragon Ball and all related characters belong to Akira Toriyama and a whole lot   
of other people, me NOT included. Please don't sue.  
  
One character in here is mine, figure it out for yourself. Please don't use her   
without permission. I know it hardly seems right since I am using Toriyama's   
characters without HIS consent... but I would like to know about it (not that   
you really WOULD like to use her...)  
  
------------------------------------  
  
  
  
"That's Vegiitasei?" Bulma questioned as she looked out the window.   
She looked back at Vegiita, who had an expression of shock on his face. "Are  
you all right, Vegiita?" she asked, concerned.  
Vegiita blinked, shook his head, and his expression went back to his   
usual constantly angry one. "For the last time, I'm fine, woman!" he snapped.   
"Aside from the fact that my home planet has just come back from grave."  
The planet outside was a murky red color, giving the appearance it was  
covered in lava. In Bulma's scientific opinion, it looked more like a gas planet   
than a rock planet like Earth.   
"That's Vegiitasei?" Gokou repeated Bulma's words. His voice was   
unusually calm. "That's where I was born?" He touched the window with his   
hands, as if reaching out to the planet. "It's beautiful," he whispered after a   
moment.  
Everyone on the ship stared at him. "We better not have two cracked   
Saiyajin," Yamucha muttered to Kulilin.  
"Beautiful?!" Chichi spat out. "I think it's terrifying!"  
Piccolo was craning his neck to look out the window, trying his best to   
look casual. "I have to agree with her. It doesn't look to be a very pleasant place."  
"Vegiita, ask your _voice_ if this is what we're waiting for," Bulma said.  
*Our prince is home!*  
Vegiita froze. ~What...~  
"Tousan..." Trunks's voice sounded weak.  
Vegiita looked over at his son. "What is it, brat?"  
"What was that?"  
"What was what?"  
*Our prince is home!*  
"There it goes again!" Goten said. "I heard it, too."  
"Yeah..." Gokou looked over at Vegiita. "Is that the voice you keep hearing?"  
*Our prince!*  
*My prince!*  
*He's returned!*  
The voices began blending together, getting louder. All the Saiyajin and   
demi-Saiyajin looked pointedly at Vegiita.  
"I don't know what you expect me to do about it!" Vegiita snapped,  
knowing exactly what was going through their heads.  
"Um..." Yamucha scratched his head. "Can I ask you guys something?"  
"Shoot," Goten said.  
"What the HELL are you guys talking about?"  
Gokou blinked. "You mean you can't hear them?"  
"Who?"  
"Those voices," Gohan said, cocking his head to the side.  
"What voices?"  
"Of COURSE they wouldn't hear them, baka!" Vegiita snarled. "They are   
not of Saiyajin blood!"  
*VEGIITA!*  
He flinched, and spied Gohan rubbing his temple. Baring his teeth, he   
turned to Bulma.  
"Land this tin can NOW, woman, or we are all going to go insane."  
Bulma looked around the ship, then quickly punched in the code to   
descend. "I don't know what you expect to accomplish by doing this."  
"I'm going to figure out who the hell that woman is."  
  
* * *  
  
The ship hovered over the rather rocky terrain. "Tell me where you expect   
to land, Vegiita," Bulma growled.   
Vegiita glanced out the window. "Go east."  
Bulma glared at her husband. "And just how would you know?"  
"I grew up here, baka!" Vegiita growled, his patience about to snap.   
"These are the mountains that the Saiyajin used to live in before we conquered   
that other _weakling_ race that was living here. We're near the main city."  
Bulma narrowed her eyes and turned the ship to the east. After about   
a minute of traveling, pointed, white buildings came into view. "What's that?" she   
said, pointing.  
"The city I grew up in." Vegiita gestured to the tallest building. "Go over   
there." Bulma steered the ship towards it, giving him an annoyed look. "Land   
there."  
"What... it's a landing pad!" Bulma exclaimed.  
"Amazing powers of observation you have."  
Bulma landed the ship smoothly, then jumped out of her seat. Kulilin   
was already heading towards the door. "Are we ready?" he asked.  
"You're not, obviously." Kulilin cringed and looked at Vegiita. "Remember   
that Vegiitasei has thirty times the amount of gravity Chikyuu does?"  
"Oh... yeah. B-but this isn't Vegiitasei."  
"Vegiita and I will go check to make sure it's okay," Gokou offered,   
opening the door.  
  
* * *  
  
"Explain to me why YOU had to come, Kakarotto," Vegiita muttered as   
they walked down the ramp.  
"As much as I don't want to admit it, I was born here," Gokou said,   
looking around. "I kind of want to see it."  
Vegiita snorted. "First interest you've shown in your Saiyajin heritage.   
Did you hit your head again, Kakarotto?"  
"Iie."  
Gokou and Vegiita walked onto the ground and looked around. "Gravity   
feels about the same as Chikyuu... let's go back and tell them-" Gokou was   
interrupted by Vegiita's voice.  
"Baka. We're telling them the gravity is too heavy."  
"Why?"  
"Because we don't know what is here. If we tell them that the gravity is   
okay, they'll all want to come out. But if we tell them that they'll definitely be   
flattened, they'll stay on the ship."  
"Trunks, Goten, and Gohan'll come out no matter what."  
"Those three can take of themselves," Vegiita growled. "I don't want   
Bulma running off, then running her mouth off at some ghost of a Saiyajin,   
then screaming my head off about it later."  
"In other words, you don't want her to get hurt."  
"Kisama-"  
"Are we going back to tell them that the gravity is too heavy, or are we  
just going to go explore on our own?"  
"We'll have to go back, or else they'll send someone out after us."   
Vegiita turned to walk back onto the ship. As Gokou began to follow, he stopped.   
"You're staying here."  
"Why?"  
"You're a terrible liar, and you'll give it away."  
"But-"  
"Shut up, Kakarotto."  
Vegiita walked back aboard the ship to face several expectant faces.   
"The gravity is too heavy. You can't come."   
Kulilin's face seemed to fall. "Man..."  
"We can come, tousan!" Trunks seemed to jump forward. Gohan and   
Goten were right behind him, although Gohan didn't looked as thrilled as   
Trunks and Goten.  
Vegiita sneered at the three of them. "I don't suppose I can stop you."  
"I can come, too." Piccolo strode forward and looked pointedly at   
Vegiita.  
"No, you-" Vegiita started to say, tensing up.  
"We need someone to stay and protect the ship. We don't know what   
might be outside. Can you do that, Piccolo?"  
Vegiita turned around and spied Gokou. "Why, you-"  
A low growl emitted from the green giant. "Fine." Vegiita looked back   
at the Namekseijin to see him proceeding to "sit" in the air cross-legged.   
Vegiita blinked.  
"Then can we go now?" Trunks said, seeming anxious.  
Vegiita turned towards the door. "Shut the door after us," he said to   
Bulma.  
"But-"  
Vegiita ignored her and walked out, followed by the three demi-Saiyajin.  
  
* * *  
  
"Otousan, the gravity isn't-"  
"We know," Gokou said, glancing at Vegiita. "He didn't want them   
coming."  
"Amazing, Kakarotto," Vegiita said, ignoring the other three. "I didn't   
know you COULD lie."  
Gohan glanced at his father. "Otousan?"  
"I didn't," Gokou said. "We really don't know what's out here."  
"So where are we going?" Trunks asked his father. "This is your planet."  
"Inside."  
"Inside what?"  
"This building." Vegiita pointed to the tall one they had landed by.   
"This is the palace. Where I lived." He didn't say anything more as he began   
walking inside. The others looked at each other, shrugged, and followed.  
As they walked down the hall, Trunks noticed pictures lining the wall.   
Underneath were captions - "Vegiita-sama the First. Vegiita-sama the Second.   
Tousan, who-"  
"My ancestors. Your ancestors. You were the first in our family for   
generations to not be called Vegiita." Vegiita looked at the first picture.   
"Vegiita-sama the first. The last Super Saiyajin before all of us." He began   
walking again.  
As the pictures went on and on, they began to more and more resemble   
the Vegiita in front of them. Finally, they came to the last one. Vegiita stopped   
and looked at it.  
"Who was he, Vegiita-san?" Gohan asked.  
Vegiita didn't answer for a moment. "My father." He turned away.  
Gokou looked at the picture. "Really?"  
"No, I lied," Vegiita snarled viciously. "What do you think, baka?" He   
suddenly turned and blasted the picture off the wall, leaving a singed where   
it once was. "I hated that man." He began walking again.   
As they walked on, Goten spied a smaller picture, separated from   
the kings. "Vegiita-ouji," he read. "I-is this YOU, Vegiita??" he exclaimed,   
laughing. "You have hair on your forehead!"  
"Nani? Lemme see!" Trunks said, pushing Goten aside. Gohan and   
Gokou peered over their shoulders at the picture of the prince, who hadn't   
quite lost all his baby fat (or his bangs).   
"Kawaii, Vegiita-san," Gohan said, smiling.   
"Can we go now?" Vegiita snapped. "Or are you so amazed at that   
picture of me that I need to go on myself?"  
"Hai, hai, we're coming," Trunks said, snorting.   
*Vegiita.*  
Vegiita bared his teeth at the air. "Not you again."  
*The king's hall.*   
"Nani? Why there?"  
*Come... and bring your friends.*  
Vegiita turned towards the others. "This way."  
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita pushed the gigantic doors open. He looked around, blinking.   
He had almost expected it to be full of Elite soldiers and the king's advisors...  
"Feeling a little nostalgic, Vegiita-san?"   
"Shut up, brat," Vegiita snapped at Gohan. ~Showing emotion shows  
weakness,~ he thought. ~One of the lessons I learned in this very room.~  
"Vegiita."  
Goten gasped. "What was that?"  
"That voice..." Vegiita said. "It's her! That damned woman who kept   
talking to me!"  
"Vegiita... you remember this place well, don't you?" The disembodied   
voice surrounded them, echoing in their ears.   
"Of course I remember it..." Vegiita began, but was interrupted when   
a scene began to play before their very eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
"Someday I'll kill you - both you and I know it. You killed your father.   
You father killed his father. His father killed his father. That's the way it's   
done in our family, isn't it?" Vegiita was being prompted to kneel before   
his king by Nappa, who was being ignored.  
Vegiita-sama's eyes flashed. "At the rate you are going, brat, you'll   
be lucky if you can touch me."  
The smaller Vegiita studied his father's face for a moment, then   
realisation spread over his features. "You're afraid," he said. More confidently,  
he added, "You're afraid! You know I'll be stronger than you! You know I'll   
beat you easily when your time comes!"  
Vegiita-sama lurched up from his chair. "You may grow to become   
stronger than me, brat. But you are not stronger now. It is not wise to goad   
me." He hit Vegiita on the shoulder harshly enough to force him down to a  
knee. "You will kneel before your king, understood?" Vegiita didn't answer,  
but he didn't move. "UNDERSTOOD?!"  
"Hai," Vegiita said sarcastically.  
Vegiita-sama reached down and picked up his son by his unruly   
hair, lifting him off the ground. Ignoring his son's cry of pain, he leveled him  
to his own face. "Hai, Vegiita-sama!!!" He then threw his son across the   
hall, his body bursting through the doors. "Learn respect for your king, and   
perhaps people will respect you when you are king."  
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita was silent as the scene faded.   
"You remember that, don't you, Saiyajin no Ouji?"  
Everyone was looking at Vegiita as he spoke. "That was the last   
time I ever spoke to him."  
"Yes."  
"Who are you?"  
The voice chuckled. "You always want to jump straight to the point."  
Vegiita clenched his fists. "You have tormented me for weeks, now.   
Tell me who you are!"  
"You must remember me for yourself."  
"And just how do I do that?"  
"Come here."  
Vegiita growled. "Come where?"  
A glow began near the throne where the image of Vegiita-sama had   
sat mere moments ago. "Here, Vegiita-ouji."  
Vegiita walked over to the steps in front of the throne, the others   
following him. "What now?"  
An image of Vegiita appeared, although much younger - even younger   
than in the picture that had been on the wall. "You know him, don't you?"  
"Of course I know him!" Vegiita snapped. "He is me!"  
"But do you know what he knows?"  
Vegiita was silent for a moment. "Let me guess... my younger self   
knows what I am supposed to remember."  
"Yes." The image disappeared suddenly, and the glow began to   
cover the room. The room seemed to disappear, and another place began   
to form. Once again, a scene began to play.  
  
* * *  
  
VEGIITASEI   
50 YEARS AGO  
  
The cloaked figure ran through the endless twisting hallway, looking   
back every so often to make sure she wasn't being followed.   
She finally reached her destination, stopping a moment to catch her   
breath, then opening the door.  
The boy, who was lying on the bed, sat straight up and stared at her.   
"Who are you?" he demanded. "And what are you doing in my quarters?"  
The woman stepped forward and removed the hood that covered her   
head to reveal typical Saiyajin female features, although softened. Her hair   
was unkept, yet it still managed to looked beautiful as it flowed into her cloak,   
making it impossible to determine how long it was. Her nose was perfectly fit   
to her face - almost pointed, creating the effect that she was staring down   
at you. Her eyes were her sharpest feature - they seemed to drill right into   
you, yet they were forgiving - a rare thing in Saiyajin.   
Those eyes were staring into the boy's at that moment.  
"Vegiita," she said. "Do you know who I am now?"  
Vegiita was silent for a moment longer as he studied her features.   
"Yes."  
"Do you understand that I need to get you out of here?"  
"Why?"  
"I cannot let you grow up on this planet," the woman said. "It will   
destroy you."  
The young prince cocked his head to the side, still studying her.   
"How?"  
"The Saiyajin will diminish whatever heart you have. I can't let that   
happen to you." The woman reached out, offering her hand. "Please come   
with me."  
"Where will we go?"  
"Off Vegiitasei."  
"But..." The prince paused. "But this is my home. I'm supposed to   
rule here, eventually."  
"If you are not killed by Vegiita-sama, first!" the woman hissed.   
"Please, Vegiita." Vegiita stared in silence for a little while longer, then finally  
put his own small hand into the woman's. The woman smiled and began  
leading him out of his quarters.   
"What do I call you?" Vegiita asked her.  
The woman smiled at him, knowing there was no word for what she   
was to him. "My name is Cocobia."  
  
* * *  
  
She led him down the hallway and towards the launching dock. She   
had already knocked out the guards, and the attendant was next. By now   
the Elite guards were probably aware of what she was doing, which meant  
there wasn't much time.  
"Cocobia?" Vegiita whispered. "How much longer do we have to run?"  
"Only a few hundred feet."  
Cocobia began slowing down as she came to a corner. She inched   
over to the wall and began sliding against it, gesturing to Vegiita to do the   
same. As the came to the room, she put up a hand to tell him to stop.   
Peeking around the corner at the launch attendant, she fired one ki   
shot at the back of his head, just enough to knock him out. "Come," she said   
to Vegiita. She ran up to the module the attendant had been at. After typing   
a few commands, she took his hand and began sprinting towards what looked   
to be a hole in the wall.  
"What are you doing?" Vegiita demanded. "Let me go! I can walk!"   
He peered at the hole. "What's that?"  
"An entrance to a pod. That is what will take us off the planet,"   
Cocobia said, not looking at him.   
A loud and demanding voice finally made her look back. "STOP!"   
She didn't stop, but glanced over her shoulder. She recognized the   
guards, but could only place one name - Nappa.  
"Kuso!" she swore, picking up the pace.  
"Release the prince, traitor!" Nappa's voice sent a chill down her   
neck. She heard footsteps behind her, and she automatically knew   
there was no way she was going to get away with what she was planning.   
But she still ran, holding onto a thin hope that she might get away   
with the prince...  
The shot was soundless but painful. Straight into her lower back.   
Cocobia collapsed to her knees and tried to crawl, but found it more   
painless to just sit still and not move.   
"Run," she whispered to Vegiita. "Run to the pod, my little prince."  
Vegiita cocked his head to the side, apparently not understanding.   
"You need... to leave!" she reached out to him. "Please-"   
Her words were cut off as Nappa came up in front of her. "You are   
a traitor and will be judged as such."  
Cocobia's eyes widened. "No," she said, struggling to make her  
voice steady. She fired a weak blast at Nappa, who easily dodged it.   
Another hit him in the hand, and he cursed, then glared at her. "Get   
off the planet, little one," she murmured to Vegiita as she continued firing   
at Nappa and the few other guards.  
"Kill her!" Nappa finally yelled, nursing his wounded hand.   
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita didn't move towards the pod as Cocobia wanted. He stayed,   
wondering why the guards were shooting her. Wasn't she...  
"Kill her!" Nappa's gruff voice commanded the two guards with him.   
One of them came up behind her, raised his hand, and-  
~No,~ Vegiita thought. ~You can't!~  
But his thoughts did nothing, and the guard fired a clean shot   
straight through Cocobia's head. Her body fell to the ground with a   
thump... a sickening sound.  
"Why did you do that?" Vegiita demanded of the guards. "What  
did she do?"  
"She captured you, my prince," Nappa said. "She tried to take   
you away from the Saiyajin empire. She wanted to take you away from your   
destiny of ruling our race."  
"Why?"  
Nappa blinked and took a breath before answering. "Because she   
was a traitor to our kind. She knew you were powerful, and she didn't   
want a strong leader for the Saiyajin."  
Vegiita didn't answer, but only stared at Cocobia's still body. "What   
will be done now?" he questioned.  
"Nothing," Nappa answered. "She is dead, and cannot betray us   
again."  
  
* * *  
  
PRESENT TIME  
  
"You see, Prince Vegiita?"  
Vegiita stared at the ground, lost in thought. "I do not remember   
that night. How do I know you were not making it up?"  
"You blamed yourself."  
"I what?" Vegiita snapped his head up. "Blamed myself for what?"  
"My death. You knew who I was."  
"I would never-"  
"Vegiita, please. Just listen." The voice paused. "I can help you   
remember me. I want you to... but it has to be your choice."  
"I think I'm going to go insane if I continue this madness," Vegiita   
said.   
"Is that a 'yes,' then?" The voice seemed amused.   
"Yes."  
"Good. I will warn you all now... Vegiita's younger self is a completely   
different person then he is now."  
"WHAT?!" Vegiita spat out. "Just what the hell are you planning to   
do?"  
"Put your mind in the state it was that night. You will remember."  
"I will return to myself, though?" Vegiita questioned suspiciously.   
"Yes. Do you still want to?"  
Vegiita closed his eyes. "Do it."  
"Very well." The eerie light winked out and surrounded Vegiita,   
who fell to his knees, eyes still closed.  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks watched his father carefully, not knowing what was   
happening. "Tousan?" he asked, uncertain, after the light had faded.  
"He can't hear you." Trunks snapped his glance back towards   
the front, where the light had returned.  
"Why not?" Trunks started forward, alarmed. "What's wrong   
with him?"  
The light flickered in amusement.   
"You inherited your father's impatience," the voice said.   
"What's wrong with my tousan?" Trunks repeated, dark tones   
coming into his voice.   
"Nothing. He's simply in a younger state of mind."  
Trunks stared at the light for a moment before answering. "Can   
you make any less sense?"  
"Right now, his mind is that what it was when he was three   
years of age. Seeing you would only confuse him, so I blocked all of   
your presence from him."  
"So Vegiita-san thinks he's three years old right now?" Gohan   
questioned.   
"Hai."  
a snort came from Goten, which earned a glare from Trunks.   
"Ah, gomen," Goten apologized. "But picturing ojisan at three years   
old is kind of funny."  
"Maybe to you," Trunks muttered.   
"Keep in mind that a Saiyajin prince's childhood is different from   
a human's. You two are 14 now, am I correct?"  
"He's 14. I'm 15, but close enough," Trunks said.  
"At your age, Vegiita was working for Furiza, clearing out planets   
for takeover."  
Trunks frowned. He didn't like being reminded that his father had   
an extremely dark past.  
"So what is this supposed to accomplish?" Gohan asked.   
The voice didn't answer them. It's attention was directed at the   
prone Vegiita. "Who am I, young prince?" she asked him in a soft voice.  
"Cocobia." Vegiita's voice sounded different... not like a child's   
voice, but softer. "a nali... shavda."  
Trunks blinked. "That language again. What did he say?"  
"It is Saiyago, the only language he knew at this age. He hadn't   
learned standard very well yet."  
"How come we understood that flashback you showed us?" Gokou   
asked.   
"I translated it."  
"Oh."  
Vegiita began speaking again, his voice sounding distressed.   
"Arai crux... arai crux! Ru d'rekoor natao..." His expression turned into a   
grimace, looking like he was about to cry. "a nali."  
"What is he saying?" Trunks asked again. The voice ignored him.  
"Ki sou," the voice said to Vegiita. "Ki sou."   
Vegiita seemed to relax, his shoulders slumping, and his body   
pitched forward. Just before he hit the ground, his eyes snapped open   
and he stopped himself with his hands.  
Trunks inched toward his father. "Tousan?" he asked softly. "Are   
you okay?"  
Vegiita looked up at the light with a look of shock plastered onto his   
face. "You..."  
The light seemed to flicker in joy. "You remember me, young   
prince?"  
"Yes." Vegiita's eyes lowered. "Yes, I do."  
"Who is she, ojisan?" Goten asked, looking from Vegiita to the light,   
then back again.   
"Cocobia." Vegiita's voice sounded disoriented, like he didn't   
understand the question.   
"We know that," Gohan said. "But who is she to you?"  
Vegiita shook his head to clear it, then slowly got to his feet, his   
eyes not completely focusing on anything. It was several minutes before   
he answered.  
"On Vegiitasei, there is no word for okaasan... mother."  
Trunks took a few moments before those words sunk in, then   
gasped. "Your... mother?" He jerked his sight towards the light.   
"You are... my obaasan?"  
"Yes, young one." The light slowly formed into something   
resembling a body. It formed features, ones like the woman in the image   
she had shown them a few minutes ago. She was smiling.  
"Unbelievable!" Gokou exclaimed. "She's your okaasan, Vegiita!"  
"No shit, Kakarotto," Vegiita growled. "Thank you for catching up   
with the rest of us."  
"After my death, Vegiita blamed himself. He knew I tried to save   
him, and I gave my life for that cause. He became so immersed in his   
self-loathing that he blocked out all memories of me." Cocobia smiled   
at Vegiita's bristling, then turned to Gokou. "Kakarotto."   
"Huh?" Gokou looked up at the woman. "Yeah?"  
"You've grown."  
"Ah... yeah." Gokou scratched his head in confusion. "I guess."  
"You look a lot like Bardock."  
Gokou blinked. "Bardock?"  
"He'd like to speak with you. He's here, as well."  
"Who's Bardock?"  
Another light entered the room, appearing beside Cocobia.   
"Are you going to answer me?" Gokou demanded, apparently not   
noticing the second entity. "Who is Bardock?" he repeated.  
Cocobia didn't say anything, and neither did the second light.   
Instead, it too, started forming into a person. Features, blurry at first,   
came forward on the face.   
Gohan's eyes widened. "You... you look like..."  
"Kakarotto." Bardock's face stretched into a smile... or the Saiyajin   
equivalent of a smile - it came off as smirk.  
There were subtle differences in the features, especially the   
eyes... but there was no doubt about it.  
"You're Gokou-san's father!" Trunks blurted out.  
Bardock glanced at Trunks. "Yes."  
"I never thought I'd meet anyone else related to me by blood,"   
Gokou admonished. "Raditsu was enough."  
"Raditsu took after your mother," Bardock said. "Especially that   
hair." He smiled again.  
Gokou smiled a bit as well. "So why do you want to speak with me?"  
"You defeated Furiza, didn't you?"  
Gokou blinked and frowned. "I guess... a while ago. Why?"  
"Good." Bardock frowned. "On one of my off-world missions, one   
of the aliens got revenge by giving me the ability to see the future."  
"How is that revenge?" Gokou questioned.  
"By seeing your own death. By seeing how the Saiyajin were   
going to die. I knew Furiza was planning to destroy Vegiitasei." He   
paused. "I tried to tell the others, but they wouldn't listen. They thought   
I was drunk, or delusional. Or insane over the de-" He cut himself off.   
"Insane over what?"  
"The death of your mate," Vegiita said, uncompassionate. "Nappa   
mentioned it to me."  
"Yes." Bardock closed his eyes. "They didn't listen. They wouldn't   
help. I tried to take out Furiza by myself, thinking I could change my   
destiny..." Bardock looked straight into Gokou's eyes, the inner pain   
visible. "I failed. I died in the same blast that took out the planet."  
Trunks felt something in his chest grow heavy. He had heard both   
his father and Gokou mention the destruction of Vegiitasei... but hearing   
it from this man, who had witnessed it... Those were his ancestors that   
had been murdered.   
"But just before my death, I saw YOU, Kakarotto, facing off   
against Furiza... and I knew there was hope that a Saiyajin would   
avenge Vegiitasei." Bardock smiled. "And you did."  
"I... suppose." Gokou's voice sounded uncertain.  
"Thank you."  
"Nani?"  
"For proving me right. That is what I've stayed here for."  
"Stayed... here?" Gokou asked. "What do you mean?"  
"Bardock and I are the only ones remaining," Cocobia said. "A   
few others stayed, but grew tired of waiting."  
"What do you mean 'stayed?'" Vegiita demanded. "What are you   
talking about?"  
"This planet, everything surrounding you, was formed by our   
memory," Cocobia said. "We both needed to stay behind to wait for our   
business to be over." She looked at Vegiita. "I needed my son to   
remember me again." Her image smiled and a hand reached out to   
him. "If only I could feel again..." she muttered sadly.  
"And I needed to make sure MY son had fulfilled his destiny,"   
Bardock smiled at Gokou. "I wasn't strong enough to speak with you   
over that much of a distance, though. Apparently the longer you're dead,   
the stronger you are."  
"And now that it's through... now what's left for you?" Gohan asked   
the two spirits.   
"We can finally be on our way. We can go on to whatever is   
waiting for us," Cocobia said. "And you have to get out of here. Since   
we are leaving, this ghost planet will disappear." Both ghosts' images   
were fading.  
"Which will leave us floating in space," Trunks said.   
"Exactly."  
"Well, then, that means we've got to go!" Gokou said, grabbing   
each of his sons by the arm and walking backwards.  
"Otousan...?" Gohan questioned.   
"Go now," Cocobia said. "There is nothing left for you here, and   
you'll die if you stay."  
"That's clear enough for me," Trunks said, grabbing his father by   
the shoulder, starting to sprint towards the exit of the room, which was   
beginning to fade. "Let's go!"  
  
* * *  
  
Piccolo's eyes snapped open. "Nan da..." He turned to Bulma.   
"Open the doors. They're back."  
Bulma narrowed her eyes, then proceeded. Almost as soon as   
the door had opened, the five of them sprinted in.  
"Take... off..." Gokou mumbled.   
"Nani?" Bulma questioned. "What's going on?"  
"Time to go, kaasan!" Trunks said. "This planet isn't real, and   
the people who made it are moving on."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"MOVE!" Vegiita snapped. "We'll explain later, but there will   
be nothing to explain if we don't get out of here!"  
"All right..." Bulma turned to the controls and turned on the ship.   
"Sit down, everyone."   
The ship lifted off the ground and burst out of the atmosphere   
in a matter of seconds. Bulma set a course for Chikyuu, then turned   
to the others, surprised at what she saw. Gokou had retreated   
into a corner, looking unusually solemn. Vegiita was looking out the   
window with a look that seemed almost like compassion. Trunks,   
Goten, and Gohan were speaking quietly among themselves. Kulilin   
was approaching Gokou in a bit of a cautious way.  
"So what happened?" Bulma finally asked.  
"Gokou?" she heard Kulilin ask. "What's going on? Are you okay?"   
Gokou didn't answer for a moment. "For once, I don't want to   
talk about it."  
"Huh?" Kulilin wondered, scratching his head.   
"It has to do with Bardock, doesn't it?" Vegiita didn't turn from   
the window.  
"Stop pretending to guess, Vegiita." Gokou's voice, usually   
full of spirit, sounded flat to everyone's ears. It sent a chill down Bulma's   
spine.  
"Fine." Vegiita turned from the window. "It DOES have to do   
with Bardock, and I know exactly why."  
"Eh?" Gohan looked from his father back to Vegiita. "What?"  
"I get it..." Trunks said. "If old and dead Saiyajin can do it, why   
can't live ones?"  
Yamucha's jaw hit the floor in confusion. "What the hell are   
you talking about?!"  
Trunks grinned and pointed at Gokou and his father, the latter   
making a very well-fitting annoyed look. "You guys can read each other's   
minds!" He blinked and frowned suddenly. "That's really WEIRD."  
"So?" Chichi asked, walking up to Gokou and putting a hand on   
his shoulder. "What's bothering you?"  
Gokou didn't meet her eyes, and he sighed - a dreadful sound   
coming from him. "I met my otousan today."  
Chichi gasped. "What? Your FATHER?"  
"His name was Bardock," Vegiita interrupted. "Bulma could   
have had long conversations with him... they both tended to babble   
on for hours about technology. a regular Saiyajin Einstein." Bulma   
gave Vegiita a death glare.  
"Wait, wait... Gokou's otousan is a technological GENIUS?"   
Kulilin said.  
"Was."  
"Could you please let Gokou talk?" Chichi demanded harshly.  
She turned back to her husband after shooting everyone in the room   
a look that would have made mountains crumble. "Gokou... continue."  
Gokou's eyes closed. "I always knew my otousan would be a   
typical Saiyajin... like Raditsu. But I didn't want to believe it. I had a little   
hope that my otousan would be... be..."  
"More like you." Vegiita's voice sounded almost ironic.  
Gokou looked up at Vegiita. "Yup. Exactly." Gokou sighed again.   
"He was proud of me, all right. But not for any good reason." His eyes   
closed again and he turned his head away from the others. "He was   
proud of me for killing Furiza, and getting revenge for the death of the   
Saiyajin race."  
There was silence in the ship for a few moments. "Son-kun, I..."   
Bulma said, frowning.  
"There's nothing to say," Chichi said. "Is there?"  
a few more moments of silence.  
"I just expected more of him," Gokou said. "I never thought I'd be   
respected for killing someone."  
"That you didn't even kill. Trunks did."   
Trunks gave his father a strange look.  
"Mirai Trunks," Vegiita corrected himself, snarling.   
"That's not the point, Vegiita," Kulilin said. "But I supposed YOU   
wouldn't underst-"  
"You'd be surprised what I understand, mop head," Vegiita   
snapped. Kulilin bristled at the name, but Vegiita ignored it. "I understand   
a lot more about the Saiyajin then any of YOU do." He turned his gaze   
to Gokou, who had finally looked up. "Kakarotto, you need to think like   
a Saiyajin for a moment."  
"Eh?" Gokou said. "How would I think like them?"  
"Like you're SUPPOSED to, because you ARE one... but only   
by blood, aren't you?" Vegiita said in annoyance.   
Gohan narrowed his eyes. "This isn't the time for this,   
Vegiita-san-"  
"Shut up, brat," Vegiita growled. He looked Gokou in the eyes.   
"Think about how a Saiyajin acts," he told him.  
"But the only ones I've met are you, Raditsu, and Nappa..." Gokou   
asked. "And the two ghosts in there."  
"Think about how big Vegiita's ego is... that's what he's trying to   
say," Bulma said, smirking slightly.  
"Oh? Okay..." Gokou said.   
"Would a 'typical' Saiyajin ever admit he's proud of someone   
beside himself?"  
Gokou blinked. "I guess not."  
"Your father was not a 'typical' Saiyajin. I met him the one and   
only time when I was five."  
"Really? How?" Gokou asked.   
"I was trying to keep away from those damn Elite guards..."   
Vegiita caught himself and continued. "I found myself in his workroom."   
Vegiita grinned. "What an idiot... insulting me at first... then groveling at   
my feet when he figured out who I was."  
"Oh?"  
"Stop interrupting."  
"You keep interrupting yourself."  
"Shut up, Kakarotto." Vegiita narrowed his eyes. "Bardock hacked   
into the system where their Scouters were kept online, and shut them   
down."  
"Clever." Bulma smiled to herself.  
"Anyway... your point being?" Chichi said impatiently, crossing   
her arms.  
"Bardock was proud of you, but he was still a Saiyajin, with their   
pride and everything," Trunks said. "So he didn't want to admit that he   
was just proud to be your father, so he admitted it in a different way...   
right, tousan?"  
"Close enough," Vegiita muttered.  
Gokou thought about the words for a moment. "I get it."  
"If you had your memories of Vegiitasei and being Saiyajin, that's   
probably what you would act like," Vegiita said.   
Gokou shrugged. "I guess."  
Bulma smiled at Gokou. "Hopefully we'll never test that theory."   
She then turned to Vegiita. "Your turn."  
Vegiita glanced at her. "What do you mean 'my turn?'"  
"Explain who that voice was. It couldn't have been Son-kun's   
tousan... you said it was female."  
Vegiita turned away from them, facing the window again. "I   
don't want to explain. If someone else wants to, be my guest."  
Bulma looked pointedly at Trunks.  
Trunks frowned. "Why me?"  
"Because I said so."  
"No, you didn't."  
"I am now."  
Goten practically popped forward. "She was ojisan's mother!"  
Bulma stared at Goten for a moment, and then her jaw dropped.   
"Nani?! You can't be serious."  
"He's serious," Vegiita said, then turned sharply on his heel and   
stalked into one of the back rooms, shutting the door behind him.  
"What happened?" Bulma asked Trunks after frowning at   
Vegiita's retreating back.   
"Apparently when tousan was really young, she tried to get   
him away from the planet and the rest of the Saiyajin because she   
didn't want him to grow up to be like them." Trunks paused and sighed.  
"It didn't work. She got caught, and she was executed right in front of  
him."  
"And he forgot this?"   
"Yeah. He blamed himself, so I suppose it was too painful for   
him to remember, and he blocked out all memory of her."  
Yamucha blinked. "This is Vegiita we're talking about, right?"  
"No matter who you are or what you act like, it's painful to lose   
a parent," Gohan spoke up, then closed his eyes, remembering losing   
his father... twice.  
The room was filled with silence for a few minutes.  
Gokou finally interrupted it by getting up and walking to the same   
room Vegiita went into. After the door shut again, Bulma frowned.   
"I'm beginning to wonder if this trip was a mistake," she said   
quietly.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegiita didn't turn as Gokou came in, but he knew it was him.   
Neither one of them spoke, knowing exactly what was running   
through the other one's mind.  
Finally, almost thankfully, Gokou said something. "Were you   
serious about what you said?"  
"Serious about what?" Vegiita still didn't turn.  
"How I would act like Bardock if I ever regained my memories?"  
"In theory. I really don't know, considering you've been influenced   
by humans most of your life." Vegiita paused and turned towards   
Gokou. "Kakarotto, for once I don't understand what's going through   
your head."  
Gokou sighed. "I don't really know what I'm thinking." He   
closed his eyes and gave a small smile. "If what you said was true...   
how he really WAS proud of me... I wouldn't mind getting my memories   
back. I could remember the planet I came from." He opened one eye.   
"So long as I don't become a rage-hungry killing machine."  
Vegiita narrowed his eyes. "The Saiyajin weren't machines.   
How we killed was our art. It was all we knew."  
"I can understand fighting as an art... it's fun." Gokou grinned   
slightly before continuing. "But does fighting have to include killing?"  
Vegiita scowled. "Killing is part of instinct. Part of our nature."  
"Why?"  
Vegiita looked away. "Before the Saiyajin had the technology to   
move around to other planets, they only had each other to fight.   
However, even if you were just sparring, it was hard to accept losing.   
Whenever there was REAL fighting against someone instead of just   
sparring, you should have always made sure your opponent was dead,   
so they wouldn't come back and kill you."  
Gokou eyes trailed on the ground. "a while ago, I wouldn't have   
understood that. But now I do." His fist clenched. "But I still find death  
pointless."  
"You would," Vegiita muttered.  
Gokou sighed once more. "If I did regain my memories,   
exactly how much would I remember? I mean, I was just a little baby   
and I couldn't have stayed on Vegiitasei for long..."  
"I estimate about you were on Vegiitasei for about five months.   
You'd probably remember the doctors, and the basics of the language.   
Saiyajin babies have excellent memories, so there's no telling." Vegiita   
glanced at Gokou. "You planning on falling off a cliff again, Kakarotto?"  
"No. Just getting prepared... in case it ever does happen."   
Gokou grinned and Vegiita rolled his eyes in annoyance.  
"So... what do you think?" Gokou asked after a moment.  
"About what?"  
"About what you found out today."  
Vegiita closed his eyes and waited before answering. "I don't   
know what to think." He opened them again and looked straight into   
Gokou's.  
The silence between them formed once more. Through their faint   
mental link, they could sense one thought in each other's minds, identical   
in nearly every way.   
One simple thought, but important. After what had happened   
tonight...   
Neither of them would ever be the same.  
Never.  
  
---  
END  
--- 


End file.
